Mario Kart 8 Deluxe restricts dual Joy-Con use in Wireless Play Mode

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe wouldn’t be a proper MK game without all the different controller options. In this Nintendo Switch upgraded version, you can play with either the Joy-Cons in pair, solo, attached, detached, wheel, or the Pro Controller. But first players have found a rather peculiar restriction: you can’t use two pairs of Joy-Con on a single Switch (split-screen) while in Wireless Play Mode. With both players holding one Joy-Con it’s ok, not with a pair for each one.

The controller pairing FAQ of the Nintendo Switch shares a glimpse of explanation regarding this matter: “Up to eight wireless controllers can be connected to the [Nintendo Switch] console. However, the maximum number of controllers that can be connected will vary depending on the type of controllers and features that are used“. Using wireless communication to pair systems along with bluetooth to synch two pairs of Joy-Cons per system (so four per Switch in total) could overcharge the environment and result in desynch of controllers or input lag, especially if the game has to keep up to 60FPS.